Ontario public high school teachers on one-day strike
Posted December 4, 2019 9:20 am.
TORONTO – Ontario’s public high school teachers are officially on a one-day strike Wednesday.
Late Tuesday night the Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation (OSSTF) announced that it would take strike action if the government did not come forward with “proposals that get us to a tentative agreement” by their midnight deadline.
In an official statement, the OSSTF said the strike will go ahead as planned.
Signs are now posted at Nothern Secondary School in Toronto, but it’s clear students are well aware of the province wide one day strike by teachers. No students or teachers here, not even a teacher picket line. #onpoli pic.twitter.com/4hj8Mgm70O
— Kevin Misener (@Kevin_Misener) December 4, 2019
“After four consecutive days at the bargaining table, during which the government advanced not one proposal addressing major issues that affect the quality of education in Ontario, teachers and education workers represented by the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation began a one day, province-wide walkout at one minute after midnight this morning,” the statement read.
Several parents held a rally outside the Sheraton centre Tuesday evening, where contract talks were taking place, to show their support for the teachers.
Last week, OSSTF announced that it’s given the province the mandatory notice that its members intend to walk off the job on Wednesday. Sixty-thousand public high school teachers will walk off the job but will return to class on Thursday.
Hundreds of public high school teachers and support staff walk picket line and take over Yonge Street median in front of Toronto District School Board offices near Yonge and Sheppard. #onted pic.twitter.com/kg84JQAWOu
— Kevin Misener (@Kevin_Misener) December 4, 2019
Both elementary and high school teachers began administrative work-to-rule campaigns last week, picketing during non-school hours and withdrawing from some services that they assure won’t affect student learning.
The four major teachers’ unions, which have been trying to ink new labour deals since previous contracts expired on Aug. 31., have all expressed frustration with what they say has been a lack of progress at the bargaining table.
